UK UK - Julia Wallace, 69, Liverpool, 20 Jan 1931

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STANDREID

STANDREID

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The murder of Julia Wallace in Liverpool, England on January 20 of 1931 is one of the most fascinating murder mysteries of all time. Her husband, William, was convicted and condemned to hang but this conviction was reversed and he was set free. Was an acquaintance of the Wallaces actually the perpetrator in this brutal crime or someone else or did the police have it right from the start? Full of many twists, it is worthy of a great crime novel - except it's true!
 
An excellent true-crime movie The Man From the Pru is about case. It is more from the point of view that Wallace was innocent although it leaves the door open that he wasn't.
 
The Wiki article is also weighted in favor of Wallace's innocence, something I no longer agree with.
 
The key is, who was R. M. Qualtrough?
 
With the possible exception of some of the children who witnessed the milk boy Alan Close making a delivery to Mrs. Wallace shortly before her murder, all the principals in the case are deceased. Close, who was 14 at the time, was killed in the Second World War.
 
This case is featured in the first book of Charlaine Harris' 'Aurora Teagarden' series. I looked it up after reading the book and it's an interesting one for sure. I'm not sure what I believe. I tend to be on the side of, check the nearest & dearest first.
 
The first I heard of the case was a single paragraph in the 1980 edition of The Book of Lists #2. It was #8 on Colin Wilson's 10 Strangest Unsolved Murders in History.
 
I actually don't see it as strange. I kind of feel like if the resources today were available we'd know for sure who did it; or at least a firm yes/no on Wallace himself. That's really sad for Julia.
 
do you have any links?
 
A Google of Wallace case 1931 produces a myriad of sources.

The house where the murder occurred at 29 Wolverton Street still exists and is occupied.
 
When William Wallace married Julia Dennis in 1914, it was thought that she was slightly younger than him. In reality, she was 17 years older. It is unclear if Mr. Wallace knew this.
 
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She about to turn 70 when she was slain.
 
STANDREID said:
When William Wallace married Julia Dennis in 1914, it was thought that she was slightly younger than him. In reality, she was 17 years older. It is unclear if Mr. Wallace knew this.
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Unclear if he knew this? Could that have been a reason? I agree the Wiki page is weighted in Mr Wallace's favour. Would love to know what makes you doubt his innocence Stan. I havent read much about it but just have no idea like most people!
 
I have wondered if he might have found out about her real age and felt that she'd cheated him out of the chance to have a family. That's probably not it but it certainly could have been a factor.

That movie infers that they were both having affairs (him with his sister-in-law and her with that young buck Gordon Parry) but that is speculation without any real evidence.

The reason I changed to thinking that Wallace did it is because the neighbor heard the milk boy knock right before Wallace left but heard no one knock later. If Parry or someone else had knocked later (which is how that theory goes), wouldn't the neighbor have heard that also? The man who tried to incriminate Parry was also a bit jealous of him so some question his account of events.

I believe there were two new books on the case that came out this year and another is set for release next year.
 
Was Julia insured ?
BTW I watched the film 'The man from the Pru' and enjoyed it, can't remember if it covered Julia being insured or not.
Lots of stuff around the time about insurance and fraud, a quick way to make a fast buck or two or a quick way to incriminate somebody.
 
I'll correct myself if I find out otherwise but I believe that Julia was insured but it was not a large amount.
 
Julia had a 20 Pound life insurance policy and 90 Pounds in savings so only a total of 110 Pounds gain for Wallace. In 1931, a Pound was worth 4.87 U.S. Dollars so that's $535.70 in 1931 U.S. Dollars. Convert that to inflated 2012 U.S. Dollars and you get $8,121.21 or 5,022.33 Pounds today.
 
STANDREID said:
Julia had a 20 Pound life insurance policy and 90 Pounds in savings so only a total of 110 Pounds gain for Wallace. In 1931, a Pound was worth 4.87 U.S. Dollars so that's $535.70 in 1931 U.S. Dollars. Convert that to inflated 2012 U.S. Dollars and you get $8,121.21 or 5,022.33 Pounds today.
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Thanks Stan.

Doesn't seem like that was the reason then.

Sorry to keep asking questions but did Wallace go on to marry again ?
 
Hi Robin:

No, Wallace did not remarry and died on February 26 of 1933 from kidney disease.
 
When Wallace was being questioned, he did give Richard Gordon Parry as a potential suspect but Parry was not the first coworker he listed. That was a man named Joseph Marsden. He also mentioned Stanley Young, another coworker and someone Julia would have admitted to the residence.
 
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